The Letters in the Attic
Write about a woman who discovers a series of letters hidden in her attic, revealing unknown details about her grandmother's life. As she reads on, she finds herself on a journey that mirrors many struggles and triumphs of her grandmother's era, challenging her views on love, resilience, and forgiveness.
Suggested length: A short story: 1,500 to 5,000 words, or flash fiction under 1,000
Start the clock
Pick a sprint, press start and keep going until it stops. Momentum beats polish on a first draft.
Make it yours
Three ways to take this prompt somewhere nobody else will.
- Make the conflict something the reader has faced themselves.
- Keep what the hero wants and what they need in tension.
- Tell it through the messages, notes or voicemails the characters leave.
Writing contemporary fiction
People like us, now, in trouble we recognize.
Contemporary fiction is set in the present day and deals with life as it's actually lived: families, marriages, friendships, work, loss. It sits between literary and commercial fiction, often shelved as book club or upmarket fiction.
What readers expect
- A present-day, realistic setting
- Relatable, flawed characters
- Emotional stakes over action
- Issues readers face themselves
A tip before you start
Today is your setting, so use it: the group chat, the parking ticket, the brand of cereal. Specifics make it feel true.
More Women's Fiction prompts
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- The Chaotic Celebrity WeddingExplore the life of a female wedding planner who, on the verge of giving up on love, is tasked with organizing a high-profile celebrity wedding that…
- The Island Painter's FightA heartbroken young artist moves to a remote island to find solace and inspiration but instead finds herself involved in the island community’s…
Fifteen minutes in? Keep going.
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